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Everton are reportedly eyeing up a move for Stoke City defender Harry Souttar as new manager Rafael Benitez looks to freshen up his backline.

What’s the story?

According to reports, assistant manager Duncan Ferguson has scouted the highly-rated 22-year-old ahead of a potential move.

The report states that Souttar has been identified as a potential replacement for Yerry Mina after the Colombian centre-back expressed his desire to leave Goodison Park next summer.

It’s believed that Mina has his heart set on a move to Serie A with both Inter and Fiorentina keen to secure his services, while Souttar is continuing to impress in the Championship.

Benitez would love him

After departing boyhood club Dundee United to join Stoke back in September 2016, the youngster has enjoyed multiple loan spells away from the Bet365 Stadium.

A 12-month stay at Fleetwood Town during 2019/20 proved to be the turning point in Souttar’s career to date, though, and his eye-catching performances at Highbury Stadium were enough to secure a place in Michael O’Neill’s first-team plans.

“We drip-fed him in using the cup games to begin with and he found his way into the starting XI,” said O’Neill. “I said to him that he just has to keep up the levels he’s been doing. Sometimes young players drop off a little bit. He can’t allow that to happen.

“He’s a player blessed with great natural attributes. Obviously his height, but also, he’s got good game intelligence, and he’s a great user of the ball as well. That’s something which I think will set him apart from the other defenders in this league,” he concluded.

Souttar made 38 league starts for the Potters last term as he found his feet at the heart of defence and has continued his good form into the current campaign, making ten Championship outings as Stoke sit fourth in the second-tier table.

As a result, Everton’s director of football, Marcel Brands, must sanction a move for the Australian starlet if Mina departs for Italian football.

Benitez would surely relish the opportunity to work with such a talented young player, providing the Merseyside outfit with a solid defensive foundation for many years to come. After all, the Spanish coach has already been keen to blood young players in his team this season.

Jarrad Branthwaite, Anthony Gordon and Lewis Dobbin have all become more regular parts of the furniture this season. Souttar must join that talented crop coming through at Goodison Park.

And, in other news…Everton may find their new Rodriguez by signing £22.5m-rated gem, he’s a “big player” 

Tottenham Hotspur may be top of the Premier League upon their return from the international break but there are still some issues to iron out for manager Nuno Santo.

One of which is their chance creation and goalscoring, having only found the net three times with successive 1-0 victories to kickstart the 2021/20 campaign.

Indeed, the north Londoners are the only side with a 100% record in the top-flight but they are also the joint-lowest scorers sat 13th or above, meaning there is a problem somewhere in attack.

Heung-min Son leads the way with two goals and he also tops the charts for shots-per-game (3.3). But no player is managing to do better than Harry Kane’s two key passes per game, despite the England international only starting one of their three matches, per WhoScored.

The reliance on these two was also a problem last season, both scored 58.8% of their league goals and both were first and second for creating chances – the likes of Tanguy Ndombele, Dele Alli and Giovani Lo Celso were nowhere to be seen.

However, Nuno could already have a solution right under his nose, thanks to the expertise of sporting director Fabio Paratici in the transfer market.

In shifting Erik Lamela out, the Italian managed to secure promising Spain gem Bryan Gil in return and he could hold the keys to fixing Spurs’ creativity issue.

According to football.london’s Alasdair Gold on a recent episode of his ‘Gold and Guest talk Tottenham’ podcast, the 20-year-old prodigy is already being spoken about in high acclaim.

“I think they’ve just got to nail down that role for him. As soon as they nail down that role, I think we’re going to see a very talented young player coming to the fore. He’s kind of got a bit of everything: he can pass, he can dribble, he’s very creative, he has clever movement,” he said.

“They’ve just got to decide, is he a guy that can ultimately become the new Eriksen, because the more and more I watch him play, I think the ability’s there to do that. Some have even made a Modric comparison and said, maybe he could end up coming even deeper and becoming that kind of player.”

Modric and Eriksen, two players that would undoubtedly ensure that there were no issues in attack, particularly the latter as Spurs have sorely missed his presence since he left for Inter Milan in January 2020.

Gil averaged 1.7 crosses and 1.9 key passes per 90 in La Liga last season, via WhoScored, which certainly reinforces the view that he could be a solid option in a creative role.

Also described as a player with “unbelievable amounts of technique” and “a left foot on him you’d kill for” by ESPNUK editor David Cartlidge, Nuno must now look to unleash the £27m-rated wonderkid in the coming weeks.

He could well be the perfect solution to one of Spurs’ only current problems.

AND in other news, Spurs dealt cruel double injury blow ahead of Palace clash…

Aston Villa manager Dean Smith has confirmed that Leon Bailey will miss the Premier League clash against Manchester United on Saturday afternoon.

What’s the story?

The Jamaica international came on as a second half substitute to great effect against Everton last week, scoring one goal and essentially making another. However, his home debut ended under a cloud, with the winger forced off due to injury less than 15 minutes later.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of the game against United today, Smith said: “Leon has a strain which is likely to keep him out until after the international break. We would be hopeful that he would be available for the Wolves game but we will need to assess him nearer the time and see how he progresses over the next ten days or so.”

Dean Smith will be devastated

The incredible impact that Bailey had on that game against the Toffees showed exactly why he might well turn out to be the best signing of the lot when it comes to Villa’s summer transfer business.

The searing pace and directness with which he took the game to the Merseysiders brought a much-needed energy to Villa, and to now be missing him for a number of matches is undoubtedly a major setback.

After initially seeing Bailey go down with injury, former Villa man Alan Hutton responded by saying: “He’s a little bit different to some players because he’s so explosive. That’s kind of a red flag. You need to be careful, especially if you’re coming back from a hamstring injury or things like that. He’s that quick off the mark that he needs to be right.

“The intensity of the Premier League is massive so it’s always going to put strain on your body. They’re going to have to be careful with him, he is playing catch up. I’m sure over the coming weeks, depending on how bad he is, they’ll take their time with him and try bed him in really slowly.”

Make no mistake about it, Smith will be devastated to discover that Bailey will not only miss today’s game against United, but a few more after that as well, given the enormous impact that he can bring (and has already brought) to Villa’s team.

Meanwhile, Gregg Evans has delivered some transfer insight into this Villa academy starlet…

Celtic have agreed on a fee with Legia Warsaw for Josip Juranovic, according to Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas.

The Lowdown: Juranovic profiled

Juranovic, who stands at 5 foot 7, has only been with his current employers for just over 12 months.

He’s made 40 appearances for Warsaw during that time, winning the Ekstraklasa last season.

The 26-year-old has turned out as a right-midfielder in all six of his starts during the current campaign and is also capable of playing as a right-back and a centre-back.

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The Latest: Thomas’ post

Sky Sports reporter Thomas has been on top of Celtic’s pursuit of Juranovic in recent days and took to Twitter on Tuesday evening to provide an update.

He admitted that a £2.5m fee between the two clubs has been agreed on, with finer details of a move and personal terms now being discussed.

The Verdict: McKay onto a winner

It seems as if Dominic McKay is about to land a versatile player for Ange Postecoglou who turned out at Euro 2020 for just £2.5m.

On paper, it seems to be smart business, especially with Postecoglou wanting a right-back and a winger before the end of the window.

Juranovic can play in both of those positions, so you’d expect him to rival Anthony Ralston and possibly push for a place on the right-hand side of midfield in Postecoglou’s 4-2-3-1 system, should a move officially go through.

In other news: Sky Sports reporter: Celtic now won’t sign right-back who pleaded for Hoops move. 

An update has emerged on Manchester United defender Diego Dalot, regarding Borussia Dortmund’s interest in his services.

What’s the talk?

According to MEN, Dortmund are interested in signing United right-back Dalot before the end of the window.

The report claims that the Red Devils have not decided whether or not they will keep the Portuguese full-back, with the Red Devils open to keeping him but not ruling out a sale.

Time’s up

United chief John Murtough must sanction an exit for Dalot before the end of the transfer window. He should capitalise on Dortmund’s interest and negotiate a permanent sale of the defender to bolster the club’s budget ahead of future signings.

The 22-year-old Portugal international endured a mixed campaign with AC Milan on loan in the Serie A last season, as he came under criticism from the Italian press towards the end of his spell with the player in “free fall”.

He did, however, play 31 games in the Serie A and Europa League for Milan, averaging a solid WhoScored rating of 6.82 in the latter – catching the eye in his eight starts.

Dalot started ten games in the league for the Italian giants, which suggests that he did not perform well enough to secure a regular spot in the starting XI despite his impressive displays in Europe. He averaged a score of 6.72 in Serie A, showing that he was not able to reach the heights of his performances in the Europa League as he recorded a lower rating by 0.10.

Therefore, the £19m dud is unlikely to make the breakthrough at Old Trafford as he was unable to stand out for Milan. If he cannot start regularly for Milan then why would he be good enough to displace Aaron Wan-Bissaka from the right-back position in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team? Wan-Bissaka averaged a WhoScored rating of 7.15 in the Premier League across 35 appearances last season, suggesting that he is well ahead of Dalot in his development.

Murtough must now work hard to get the best possible deal for Dalot from Dortmund, whether that is a straight-up permanent switch or a loan with an obligation/option to buy at the end of the 2021/22 campaign. The funds brought in could either be used to sign a higher grade right-back to compete with Wan-Bissaka or saved to bolster other areas of the team in upcoming windows or in the final days of the current one.

AND in other news, Man Utd make contact over £27m-rated “complete midfielder”, Ole would love him…

Aston Villa could miss out to Newcastle United in the race for Axel Tuanzebe, according to Football Insider. 

The lowdown

The Manchester United defender has been made available for loan following the signing of Raphael Varane from Real Madrid.

And Dean Smith is apparently keen to recruit an ‘athletic’ centre-back to provide cover and competition for the first-choice partnership of Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa.

Tuanzebe has already spent time on loan at Villa Park, but intriguingly it was during Steve Bruce’s tenure.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has previously hailed Tuanzebe, who made nine Premier League appearances last season, as ‘outstanding’.

The latest

As per a recruitment source, Newcastle have the advantage after Bruce assured Solskjaer that Tuanzebe would enjoy a ‘regular starting role’ at St James’ Park. Manchester United are seemingly concerned that the 23-year-old wouldn’t be afforded those kind of opportunities at Villa.

The report does offer supporters some grounds for hope, though, by pointing out that covering the ‘multi-million pound’ loan fee as well as the player’s wages would be ‘less of an issue’ for Villa than it would be for the Magpies.

The verdict

Recruiting an additional centre-back is an absolute must for Villa. Smith only has three senior options at his disposal at present and adding genuine competition will theoretically extract more from Konsa and, especially, Mings.

Tuanzebe would be an excellent signing, but you can very much understand Manchester United’s concerns.

Perhaps Smith could express a willingness to use a 3-5-2 shape in certain games, significantly improving Tuanzebe’s prospects. That would also have the added bonus of accommodating both Danny Ings and Ollie Watkins at the head of the team.

In other news, there’s an update on Villa’s pursuit of James Ward-Prowse.

An interesting twist has emerged in West Ham’s pursuit of a new centre-back this week…

What’s the word?

The Irons have been left frustrated by their attempts to secure David Moyes a new top-level addition in defence, having been linked to several names throughout the summer transfer window.

Last week, reports emerged suggesting that Chelsea’s Kurt Zouma had rejected the opportunity to move to the London Stadium. However, it now seems that a potential deal isn’t completely dead in the water.

That’s according to the ever-reliable ExWHUemployee, who delivered a fresh update on the situation to his ‘The West Ham Way’ Patreon site.

He outlined: “In an interesting turn of events, I am hearing that talks for Zouma have resumed and that the transfer could still be back on.

“It is thought that West Ham went in with one last offer and that this offer could be enough to get it over the line. The talks will continue today and with Milenkovic (still agent issues with that deal) but this could be yet another interesting twist in the story as Zouma was always the preferred choice.

“The deal with Zouma could progress further now and we will keep you updated as we have done all window.”

Fresh transfer twist

Seeing as plenty of Hammers supporters were very keen to see the club pull off an audacious move for the Champions League winner, who Blues legend John Terry once described as a “beast”, this latest update should leave many fans buzzing that it could be back on.

Angelo Ogbonna is facing time on the sidelines through injury and could miss this weekend’s opener against Newcastle United, whilst Moyes let Fabian Balbuena see out his contract, so there’s certainly a need for a new central defensive addition and quickly.

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Zouma would be a fine addition for the Europa League-bound Irons, particularly given his experience and skillset.

Described as a “top level” defender by current Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel, the £34m-rated Frenchman displayed his imposing physical attributes by averaging 3.6 aerial duels won per game, as well as his ability on the ball, managing a seasonal 90.9% passing accuracy, as per WhoScored.

In terms of passing, only three other centre-backs in the top-flight managed a better average – none from West Ham.

When the reports first surfaced, the fanbase went wild. “Imagine him on the end of a [Aaron] Cresswell corner,” claimed one supporter, whilst another suggested it would be a “steal,” as per Hammers.News.

Despite it being only a small portion of the reactions, it very much highlights the general consensus at the London Stadium. Therefore, this exciting twist should give them hope that a deal for Zouma could still be completed before the deadline in three weeks’ time.

AND in other news, GSB could end Moyes’ transfer nightmare with West Ham swoop for £16.2m-rated “leader”…

Birmingham City have confirmed that Dion Sanderson will be playing his football at St Andrew’s next season.

What’s the latest?

In a statement posted on the club website, the Blues announced that they were “delighted” to confirm the signing of the Wolverhampton Wanderers centre-back, who will be joining Lee Bowyer’s side on a season-long loan deal.

The statement continued by saying that the 21-year-old was very much a player “in demand” this summer, with Newcastle United, Sheffield United and Sunderland all reported to be keen on the defender.

Finally, the club relayed the comments of Sanderson speaking in reaction to his switch to St Andrew’s, with the centre-back stating: “I am delighted and so excited. Once I heard the news, I couldn’t wait to get it done. As soon as I came in today, I have just had a big smile on my face. It’s unbelievable to be here.

“I think they have a great team [here] and it’s a big club. Hopefully, it’s a chance for me to play, to impress the head coach and help the team out and fight their way up the table.”

Bowyer surely buzzing

Considering just how impressive Sanderson had been while on loan at Sunderland last season, along with the significant amount of interest in his services from a number of clubs in the summer transfer window, the fact that the Blues have managed to get a deal over the line for the 21-year-old can easily be viewed as a massive coup for Birmingham, with the signing sure to have left Bowyer buzzing.

Indeed, over his 26 League One appearances for Lee Johnson’s side last term, the £135k-rated defender helped his side to keep eight clean sheets, along with averaging 0.9 interceptions, one tackle and 2.7 clearances and winning 4.3 duels per game.

These returns saw the man Kevin Phillips dubbed a “superb” player earn an average SofaScore match rating of 6.92, ranking him as the Black Cats’ 13th-best performer in the third tier of English football.

His displays played a key role in helping Sunderland reach the League One play-off semi-finals, as well as seeing him pick up the club’s Supporters Young Player of the Year award.

As such, it would very much seem as if Sanderson is yet another fantastic addition to Bowyer’s side ahead of the upcoming Championship campaign, with the 44-year-old having already secured the arrivals of Jordan Graham, Chuks Aneke, Juan Familia-Castillo, Tahith Chong and Ryan Woods this summer.

Indeed, with Birmingham very much appearing to be a club on the up under the leadership of Bowyer, it is looking increasingly unlikely that the Blues will be facing a relegation fight once again next season, with the signing of Sanderson perhaps even creating the possibility of the club mounting a push for a top-six finish.

In other news: Bowyer drops 17-word transfer hint that will surely leave Birmingham City fans buzzing

Leeds United are in advanced talks with Celtic for defender Leo Hjelde, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Hjelde’s Celtic career

The Hoops brought Hjelde to Parkhead back in 2019 from Rosenborg on a three-year deal.

Now 17 years of age, the centre-back, who can also play at left-back, is into the final 12 months of his Celtic contract.

Hjelde joined Ross County on loan in January and made 12 senior appearances for the club, with the Norwegian still waiting for his senior Hoops debut.

The teenager featured under Ange Postecoglou on Saturday against West Ham, coming on in the second half, but it seems as if his days in Glasgow are numbered.

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The Latest: Source shares update

Football Insider, who were informed by a Leeds source, ran a story on Hjelde on Saturday morning.

They claimed that the Whites are in advanced talks to sign Hjelde, with discussions progressing well.

Hjelde has been offered a Leeds contract and is ‘very keen’ to make the move to Elland Road.

The Verdict: A big blow

Celtic appear to be building for the future with four of their summer signings under the age of 21 in Liam Shaw, Joey Dawson, Osaze Urhoghide and Liel Abada, so losing Hjelde to Leeds could be a big blow going forward.

The Hoops may have seen Hjelde as a key part of their future, with former Ross County manager John Hughes tipping the teenager to become the next Virgil van Dijk.

It seems as if they may have to plan for their future without Hjelde, though, going off the latest reports.

In other news: Celtic now offered fee more than Dembele’s for Edouard. 

Sheffield United manager Slavisa Jokanovic has dropped an update on the future of Kean Bryan amid the defender’s links with a move away from Bramall Lane this summer.

What’s been said?

In a recent interview with Yorkshire Live, the newly appointed Blades boss made it clear that he has not had a conversation with Bryan regarding his future at the club, with the centre-back having become a free agent last week despite being offered a new deal by United.

The report continues by stating that a number of clubs are interested in the signing of the 24-year-old this summer, including the likes of West Bromwich Albion and Swansea City, however, Bryan’s indecision regarding his future appears to be frustrating the Serbian manager.

In the interview, Jokanovic said: “I don’t know what is happening, I don’t know if this guy wants to stay or if this guy wants to leave. I don’t want this to complicate my team. He can go if he wants or he can offer his services to Sheffield United.”

Fans should be worried

While Jokanovic is well within his rights to request a decision from Bryan regarding the club’s offer of a new contract, as whether or not the centre-back remains at Bramall Lane will directly determine in which positions the 52-year-old will have to strengthen this summer, the fact that the manager has spoken so openly on the matter – while seemingly having not spoken to the defender himself – should leave fans of the club slightly worried.

Indeed, while he has not featured overly regularly for United since joining from Manchester City back in 2018, the £1.8m-rated man showed glimpses of his potential towards the back end of last season.

Over his 13 Premier League appearances for the Blades last term, the centre-back helped his side keep two clean sheets, as well as making an average of one interception, 1.5 tackles, 2.7 clearances and winning 4.3 duels per game.

The former England U20 international also chipped in for his team going forwards, scoring one goal and creating one big chance for his teammates, in addition to making an average of 0.3 key passes per league fixture.

These returns saw the man Chris Wilder dubbed a “talented” player earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.74, ranking him as United’s 10th-best performer in the top flight.

As such, Bryan would very much appear to be a talent worth convincing to stay at the club ahead of their upcoming Championship campaign, although Jokanovic’s latest comments do not appear to bode well for the 24-year-old’s future in Sheffield.

In other news: Jokanovic could make grave Sheff Utd transfer error over “unbelievable” £50k-p/w flop